Egypt Doubles Up With Suez Canal No. 2

After $8.5 billion and a year of construction, Egypt's second Suez Canal welcomed vessels in a trial run on Saturday along its 44-mile stretch, reports the BBC. The passageway, which runs in part alongside its namesake, is wide enough for large container ships to pass in two-lane traffic. Egypt hopes it will increase jobs and trade, with the Suez Canal Authority leader Admiral calling it a "rebirth" for the nation; his administration projects a nearly $8 billion increase in revenue by 2023. Some question that figure, but an investment analyst put the endeavor in perspective. "It's a patriotic project first of all, and that's very difficult to quantify," he says. The canal will officially open next week. (More Suez canal stories.)